Comparative mitochondrial genome analysis of Daphnis nerii and other lepidopteran insects reveals conserved mitochondrial genome organization and phylogenetic relationships

PLoS One. 2017 Jun 9;12(6):e0178773. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178773. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

In the present study, the complete sequence of the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) is described. The mitogenome (15,247 bp) of D.nerii encodes13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs) and an adenine (A) + thymine (T)-rich region. Its gene complement and order is similar to that of other sequenced lepidopterans. The 12 PCGs initiated by ATN codons except for cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene that is seemingly initiated by the CGA codon as documented in other insect mitogenomes. Four of the 13 PCGs have the incomplete termination codon T, while the remainder terminated with the canonical stop codon. This mitogenome has six major intergenic spacers, with the exception of A+T-rich region, spanning at least 10 bp. The A+T-rich region is 351 bp long, and contains some conserved regions, including 'ATAGA' motif followed by a 17 bp poly-T stretch, a microsatellite-like element (AT)9 and also a poly-A element. Phylogenetic analyses based on 13 PCGs using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) revealed that D. nerii resides in the Sphingidae family.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Composition
  • Codon
  • Genes, Mitochondrial
  • Genome, Mitochondrial*
  • Genomics / methods
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Moths / classification*
  • Moths / genetics*
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Phylogeny*
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • RNA, Transfer / genetics

Substances

  • Codon
  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, Transfer

Grants and funding

The modern Argoindustry Technology Research System (CARS-22 SYZ10), the Biology Key Subjects of Anhui Province, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31301715), the Sericulture Biotechnology Innovation Team (2013xkdt-05), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31472147), the Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (xk2013042), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31402018), and the Graduate Student Innovation Fund of Anhui Agricultural University (2015-34).